“And I’m aiding him with his quest, so quit complaining about having some help with that,” Tabitha retorted before turning back to Daemon. “I’m not going to accept failure with this.”
Daemon watched her for a moment before slowly turning his gaze around at the dark monsters nearby. Hollia picked up her spear and backed up towards him along with Scay, the naga holding her dagger out with a twisted smile on her face that she aimed from one approaching foe to another. Sasha, Rulo, and Forrus slowly backed up towards them as the group got into a circle in the street, watching as the wicked dwellers of the fallen city gathered in greater numbers. Atop the roofs of the buildings, lurking in the alleyways, stepping out from the corners and shadows, more of the vicious monsters came into view with weapons and torches as the group of fighters stood together in the middle of the road.
“I don’t think we’re going to be talking our way out of this,” Tabitha mused with both katanas held at the ready.
“We never had any intention of talking with them in the first place,” Rulo snorted.
“Can I stab them?” Scay asked while shaking in anticipation.
“Please do,” Hollia urged with her spear held in both hands.
“You should have found another job to chase after,” Forrus growled with a glance to Tabitha.
“I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way with this,” Tabitha snapped. “Don’t think you’re excluded from that just because you’re with him.”
“If you get in our way we’ll take you down without hesitation,” Sasha hissed. “You would do well to remember that.”
Daemon slowly drew out his sword, the burst of light catching everyone’s attention as he slid the weapon out of its sheath with a metallic ring. The Archlight’s Blade gave off a small bloom with its glowing steel and runes as he held it out towards the dark monsters.
“Ladies,” he said while keeping his eyes before him. “Try to remain focused here.”
The girls set their sights on the monsters around them, all tensing up to fight while the dark horde surrounding the road prepared to charge from all sides.
As the standoff of monsters was set to explode into an all-out brawl in the fallen city it was being observed by another from a nearby bell tower. The winged figure sat on the slanted steeple with the moonlight being obscured overhead by passing clouds and keeping her hidden from those down below. Her wings spread to the sides as she let out a relaxed sigh, stretching out her arms and legs before chuckling in amusement at the show before her.
“Oh, I made it just in time,” she purred in a seductive voice. “I’m so glad I didn’t miss my big brother’s dance.”
Chapter 9
Broken Denial
In the world of Eden there were some facts and views that were too hard or painful to believe. Rather than accept it there were those who chose to ignore what was in front of them, disregarding any evidence or facts that may be presented, and believe what they wanted to believe instead. Maybe they were told someone precious to them had died and they couldn’t accept that, or were told humans could indeed love monsters and didn’t want to see it. They would fight these truths out of fear, anger, or confusion, always trying to deny what they wished wasn’t real. Of course sometimes their denial could only go so far, their stubbornness holding out for so long before they finally broke down and faced the truth.
They didn’t start out as believers, but they had become them.
*****
Crawling forth on her hands and knees with slowly waving tails Star made her way through a patch of tall grass under the night sky, the jinx’s eyes curiously looking around with the world illuminated in a cyan hue. Star’s nocturnal vision had little trouble spotting Doku and Clover further up ahead, her movements becoming silent and light as she carefully approached the two while low to the ground. She saw the elf aiming an arrow in her bow around at the trees while the harpy was standing nearby with her head lowered and wings tucked close to her body.
“For the last time, just forget about it!” Clover yelled with growing ire.
“But I am truly sorry about what happened,” Doku apologized again. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you like that. It didn’t occur to me that you were still shy about your desires with Daniel.”
“My what?” Clover shouted at her. “I don’t have any desires for that guy! I don’t want him, I never did and never will!”
“You don’t?”
“No! I could do so much better for a man to get seeds from. I wouldn’t want to fuck Dan if he was the last guy in Eden.”
“You don’t mean that,” Doku worried shaking her head.
“Yes I do,” Clover sternly asserted, turning her focus to where she was aiming her arrow. “I wouldn’t want to settle for anything less than an actual man to get seeds from, and that guy is as low as dirt.”
“Clover, please stop that,” Doku huffed as she quickly fluttered over in front of the elf. Clover lowered her bow with a grunt as the harpy had a troubled frown on her face. “Please don’t speak that way about Daniel, he’s done nothing to warrant you condemning him as such.”
“He’s a fucking moron and he’s been nothing but trouble for me since we met. I’ve been trying to get home all this time, to deliver that artifact back to my priestess and prove my place at Green Haven, and what’s been happening? I’ve had to deal with that idiot dragging his feet the whole time, whoring himself out to all those girls, and listening to his nonsensical babble about how he’s going to bring love and shit to the entire world!”
“It’s not babble!” Doku softly argued. “He wants to end the fighting between our races, he wants to help us! He wants to give us all a better future, a better life where we could actually love each other and not have to resort to rape and deceit to have a family!”
“That’ll never happen!” Clover snapped back.
“Yes it will. Both I and all the other girls believe in him, you should too. He’s been proving his beliefs, he chose monsters to mate with on his own free will because of who they were on the inside and not the outside. He’s showing that humans can love us even though we’re monsters, that humans can genuinely love us as real mates in life.”
Star glanced back towards where the carriage was parked with a curious mew then turned her eyes back onto the two girls as Doku lightly stomped her foot in discontent.
“And don’t you dare speak about him and his mates in such a disrespectful manner. He’s been making love to them because he loves them, they mean the world to him. He fought bravely to protect Alyssa, he risked his life to save Kroanette from drowning, and you should understand by now that he cares for you too.”
“No he doesn’t,” Clover scoffed looking away.
“When you were struck with Kitten’s blade you were dying,” Doku reminded her. “He held you in his arms and was on the verge of tears seeing you in such a state, he was devastated at the thought of losing you. I saw that in him, and I know you had to have as well.”
Clover quietly mumbled something as Doku stepped over into her eye line and shook her head.
“And afterwards when you were still wounded and couldn’t even stand who carried you into our new home? Who cradled you in his arms and refused to let you touch the hard ground?” After that got nothing but silence out of the elf she smiled a little and continued.
“And you care about them as well, don’t try to deny it. I’ve heard and seen what you’ve done to aid them, even though you claim to want nothing to do with them. You saved Pip from being eaten by a bird, you rescued Triska when she was taken away, you protected both Pip and Cilia from the rainstorm, you defended myself when Kitten was going to attack me, and today you saved Alyssa from being struck down by those monster hunters.”
“Shut. Up,” Clover grunted.
“I will not,” Doku asserted as she tried to force a brave face. “We’ve all seen the girl Zoey loved and cherished, the girl you seem so adamant about hiding from the world. Even after your vision of her urging you
to open up you’ve still been hiding in your shell whenever you can, you’re still reluctant to admit your feelings and accept those of others. Please stop with this act, Clover.”
“What act? I’m not acting about anything!”
“You care about them. You care about the girls, and you care about Daniel.”
Clover scoffed and started marching away while Star tilted her head curiously while listening to them.
“We care about you too,” Doku called out, with Clover stopping while facing forward still. “When you were about to die everyone was hurt, crying even. Although you’ve been quite rude and abrasive with them they still care about you. Don’t you see what you’re walking away from? Don’t you see what you’re pushing away?”
“And what’s that?” Clover snapped.
“You have a family,” Doku implored, with Clover slowly glancing back to her. “We have a family, Clover. Don’t you care at all? Aren’t you the least bit happy that there are those that treasure you?”
“They’re not my family, they’re not even yours.”
“Yes they are.”
“No they’re not!” Clover yelled turning back to her. “How fucking stupid are you? I don’t have a family, all I have are elves in Green Haven who were generous enough to take me in after a fucking fairy blew my home to dust! That’s all I have, that’s all I’ll ever have, that’s it!”
“Clover, stop it,” Doku pleaded.
“And they’re not your family either,” Clover scorned as she walked back towards the harpy. “Dan isn’t your husband. Don’t you see that? Don’t you see anything from behind all that hair? You’re not part of their family. You’re not part of his harem. They don’t want to have sex with you or anything like that, they’ve been trying all this time to get it through that fucking skull of yours that you’re not part of any of it!”
Doku lowered her head and remained silent as the elf marched up next to her with a frustrated growl.
“Are you hearing me now? Do you finally get the big picture? They’re all freaks and we’re just stuck with them for the ride. I don’t love Dan, I don’t love any of you, and I don’t want to deal with all this bullshit anymore. I just want to go home, I just want to go back to how things were before I met any of you.”
After a long while of silence Doku slowly lifted her head to look at the elf.
“Do you honestly think I’m so foolish?” she softly asked. “I know perfectly well how Daniel feels about me. I know how they all feel about me. I’m not blind.”
“Then why are you acting like you’re his wife when you’re not?” Clover asked.
“Because I’m going to be,” Doku reasoned with a small smile. “Because I know for a fact I love that human, that he’s everything I dreamed of having in a husband, and nothing will take that from me. No matter the obstacle or challenge I will overcome it, I will become his true wife someday.”
“You could find someone better than him, I’m sure of it.”
“And I’m quite sure I couldn’t,” Doku giggled. “Clover, I love him for who he is on the inside. I know very well there are bigger men out there, more muscular humans who could probably break Daniel in half if they wanted to. But I don’t want them, I never wanted a mate who would act so harsh and cold to others. I always wanted someone with a pure heart, who would truly love and cherish me. Like how Zoey loved and cherished you.”
Clover showed a look of wonder on her face as Doku gazed up at the sky with a sigh of content.
“It goes both ways, Clover. He would only want a girl, monster or human, who is kindhearted. One with a pure spirit and a genuine heart. That’s exactly what I would want in my mate, someone who loves me for who I am and not what I look like.”
“But he’s… he’s…” Clover tried to argue with before falling silent.
“He’s wonderful,” Doku reasoned with a caring smile at her. “He’s polite, chivalrous, caring, and makes me feel so happy when he’s near. I can’t imagine having any other man being my husband, or even choosing one just to get pregnant from after seeing that someone like Daniel exists in this world.”
Clover tried to speak but nothing came out while Doku looked around at the sky again, a glimpse of her eyes being seen behind her bangs showing a longing gaze as her mind appeared to wander in thought about the one she loved. The elf then turned to see Star coming out from the grass towards them, the jinx crawling forward with a curious look on her face and slowly waving tails behind her.
“What are you doing out here?” Clover muttered.
Star crawled up to Doku and sat down, staring at the harpy in wonder while remaining silent. Doku turned to see the jinx sitting next to them, the cat looking back behind her for a moment then up at the harpy with a curious mew.
“Were you eavesdropping on us?” Doku inquired as she knelt down next to the jinx. “That’s not very polite, Star.”
Star looked back towards the carriage and meowed then at the harpy with a curious expression. Doku turned her head to where camp was then back to the jinx and giggled softly.
“You heard us talking about Daniel, didn’t you?” That got a nod and another meow from Star. “Well, it’s all true. He wants to help us, Star. He wants monsters like you and I to be loved and accepted for who and what we are in the world.”
Star pointed at herself with a puzzled meow while Clover turned her head away with a scoff.
“He’s proving a very important theory,” Doku continued as she gently brushed Star’s hair with her wing. “That if we’re good and kindhearted a human will want to be with us, that he will love us. And he’s right. You saw all those girls in there, the ones who were nice and polite with you. Daniel loves them, he chose them to be his mates on his own free will.”
Star’s eyes widened as she mewed softly while Doku sat down in front of her and looked up at the stars with a calm smile.
“His theory is correct, Star. Just as he said, he would choose any girl, human or monster, to be his mate so long as they are kindhearted and caring. He loves those girls, cherishes them, and protects them because he truly wants to be with them.”
Star looked down and around at herself then back at her tails before turning to Doku with a worried frown. The harpy giggled and shook her head as she saw the look on the jinx’s face.
“It doesn’t matter what you look like, Star, or what you may have done in the past. What matters is if you wish to become a good girl in life or not. That’s why Daniel hasn’t left you behind, why you weren’t pushed away after what you did. He wants you to learn to be good, he wants you to be happy in life. Star, he cares about you too.”
Slowly Star pointed to herself and meowed quietly while Clover looked down and away with her hair shading the view of her eyes. Doku tilted her head slightly as she watched the jinx listening to her with growing curiosity.
“Wouldn’t you want a man to choose you as his mate? Of his own free will? To wish to spend his life with you, to hold and treasure you, to love you?” From those words Star seemed to become speechless as she remained still and quiet. “Or better still, for all jinxes to be welcomed and loved by mankind? All your fellow sisters, and even yourself, finding mates in life who genuinely love and cherish you?”
Star slowly nodded while not speaking a word, her eyes locked onto Doku as the harpy sat forward on her knees and got closer to the jinx.
“If you’re a kindhearted girl who can control her inner nature then you can have that. That’s what we’re going to show the world, what Daniel is out here to do. To bring real peace between our races by showing everyone that it can be done. If you wish to be a part of that, Star, you may. All you need to do is behave yourself and show everyone you’re not an uncontrollable monster driven by lust.”
“Bullshit,” Clover snapped. “That’ll never happen. The world isn’t going to fucking change, humans won’t see us as equals, and like fucking hell she’ll ever be really loved for who she is.”
“Clover,” Doku scolded. S
tar lowered her head with ears drooping low while the harpy turned to Clover with a frown. “That’s so mean of you to say. She could be loved for who she is, she’s a very nice and attractive girl.”
“She tried to rape Dan twice,” Clover argued. “She wrecked the library and caused nothing but trouble with us. What’s so good about her? She’s nothing but a menace.”
“She made a mistake,” Doku defended.
“You’re all making mistakes!” Clover shouted as she backed away from them. “Dan isn’t going to change shit in the world, humans will never accept us for who we are, and we’ll never be a part of his harem!”
“Yes we can, Clover,” Doku insisted. “You and I can become a part of that.”
“No I can’t, he’ll never love me no matter how much I want him to!” Clover screamed at the top of her lungs. She then gasped in surprise and froze as Doku and Star stared at her in wonder. The jinx mewed quietly while Doku slowly stood up to face the elf.
“You want him to love you?” Doku asked. “You do have feelings for him, don’t you?”
“I don’t have feelings for him!” Clover yelled at her. She struggled to calm her breathing down while taking a few steps back then screamed and shook her head. “No, fuck this! Fuck this! I’m not falling for him, I’m not! He’s not a real man, he’s not right in the head, he’s… god fucking dammit!”
The elf quickly took off running into the forest, with Doku only taking one step before stopping as she lost sight of Clover who vanished into the night. Star slowly stood up behind her and saw the upset girl racing through the woods then turned to Doku with a curious mew.
“Clover,” Doku softly said. She looked to Star then back towards where the elf ran away before shaking her head with a tired sigh. “Please, stop running away from those who care about you.”
*****
Racing blindly through the forest Clover tried to calm herself, her emotions suddenly becoming too much to hold in as she ran past trees and through shrubs with her quiver and bow slung over her shoulder. She stumbled over a rock, bounced against a timber with a grunt, and charged through some low hanging branches of leaves and twigs with a frustrated yell.
Chronicles of Eden - Act VIII Page 28
